Background

Background, Motivations and Inspirations.

My professional training has been as an archaeologist specialising in geophysical prospection for archaeological sites. Archaeology/photography is taking me to many places, providing many sources of inspiration.
The result is a lifetime spent observing landscapes, past and present.
This background forms the context for my photographic work which considers the rich textures, patterns and colours evident in many everyday objects both natural and artificial; details often unseen or overlooked at first glance. The themes at the centre of my work are associations with the past, decay, destruction and loss.

Within each detailed study an image is extracted and isolated from its original context. A fresh and unfamiliar landscape is generated which acquires a newly discovered perspective and narrative.

My recent work has concentrated on artificial landscapes and objects that have minor histories from their creation to destruction, from usefulness to supersession and abandonment. The process is delayed by repair and recycling; acts further enriching an objects history and the complexity of its appearance. By combining images into collage the resulting structures have often have surrealist quality; remote landscapes and settings of a melancholy character where unknown and uncertain events may have or are about to occur.